Abstract
Wage disparities between workers with and without disabilities are well-documented, with evidence implicating employer discrimination and job requirements as underlying factors.1 However, there is limited evidence regarding disability-based wage gaps among nurses—the largest clinician group in the U.S.2
Disability and health are cited as key reasons for nurse job dissatisfaction,2,3 including inadequate work accommodations and hostile work environments.4 Employers face challenges recruiting and retaining nurses, and disabled nurses are more likely to leave the workforce.5 Challenges recruiting and retaining nurses highlight the urgency of improving work environments and compensation practices to attract nurses into employment, including those with disabilities.3
Most nursing workforce policies in the U.S. focus on promoting supportive work environments, such as minimum nurse staffing requirements,2 with less attention to disability-inclusive workplace policies. Further, while prior literature demonstrates racial/ethnic wage disparities among nurses6, disability-related wage disparities remain understudied. Characterizing these disparities is important for contextualizing policies and workplace practices that support nurse well-being and workforce retention.